Minnesota becomes 12th state to back gay marriage

Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis, left, sponsor of the gay marriage bill in the Minnesota Senate, and his partner Richard Leyva greet a large, joyous crowd as the arrive at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul, Minn. on Monday, May 13, 2013. The Minnesota Senate is scheduled open debate at noon on a bill that would make Minnesota the 12th state to legalize gay marriage and the first to pass such a measure out of its Legislature. The chamber's majority Democratic leaders have said they expect it to pass and Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton has promised to sign it. (AP Photo/The St. Paul Pioneer Press, Ben Garvin) MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE OUT

The Minnesota Senate approved a bill to legalize gay marriage on Monday, positioning the state to become the 12th in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage.

It passed on a 37-30, with one Republican crossing over to vote yes and three members of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party voting no. Gov. Mark Dayton is expected to sign it as soon as Tuesday and was tentatively planning a celebration on the Capitol steps for event. Gay marriages could begin Aug. 1.

“With just a few words we have the ability to bring families across Minnesota into the full sunshine of equality and freedom,” said bill sponsor Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis.

Gay marriage supporters, donning “I Support the Freedom to Marry” T-shirts and rainbow flags, far out numbered opponents at the state Capitol on Monday, arriving early to line the steps to greet lawmakers as they came in. St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman also proclaimed May 13-17 “Freedom to Marry Week” in the city. Pride flags line the Wabasha Street Bridge, which has been temporarily named the “Freedom to Marry Bridge.”

Outside the Senate chamber, the Capitol erupted with cheers when the vote was finalized.

But opponents said as there’s a lot of celebrating, there’s a lot of grieving as well. Sen. Dan Hall, R-Burnsville, said legalizing same-sex marriage would divide the state like nothing since the Civil War, destroying businesses and confusing children.

“People ask me, ‘Senator Hall, don’t you want to be on the right side of history?’ The truth is, I’m more concerned about being on the right side of eternity,” Hall said.

The bill changes state law to specify that marriage is a civil contract between “two persons” rather than “a man and a woman.” It also offers protection for clergy and religious organizations that don’t want to solemnize gay marriages, which supporters argue is the strongest in the nation.

Opponents of same-sex marriage argue that those religious protections don’t go far enough. Private businesses, public officials and nonprofits that disagree wouldn’t be able to refuse service if they had religious objections to gay marriage. That means marriage counselors or wedding photographers would have to take on clients, regardless of their religious viewpoints, said Republican Sen. Paul Gazelka of Nisswa. He offered an amendment that would protect religious entities, not just those affiliated with churches, from the new law.

“It’s about living your faith out loud, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day,” Gazelka said.

Supporters of same-sex marriage argued that it’s already illegal under Minnesota’s human rights act for a business to refuse service based on religious objections. Legalizing gay marriage wouldn’t change that.

Sen. Ron Latz, DFL-St. Louis Park, said Gazelka’s amendment would essentially “gut the Human Rights Act” and legitimize discrimination against people for who they marry. That includes interracial couples, a Lutheran who marries a Catholic or someone with a disability who weds someone without a disability. Latz said he strongly believes legalizing gay marriage is the civil rights issue of this generation.

“God made gays. And God made gays capable of loving other people,” Latz said.

Sen. Jeff Hayden, DFL-Minneapolis, talked to his colleagues about his marriage and why they should vote yes. He is black and his wife, Terri, is white. There was a time their interracial marriage would have been illegal. He said his two children know many same-sex couples well and are better people because ot it.

“It’s going to be OK. Everything is going to be fine in Minnesota,” Hayden said to opponents of gay marriage.

Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer, R-Big Lake, said when voters rejected a constitutional amendment last fall to limit marriage to heterosexuals in Minnesota, opponents of the gay-marriage ban said nothing would change. Same-sex marriage would still be illegal.

“Do Minnesotans feel betrayed today? Absolutely,” Kiffmeyer said.

Heather Vosburgh, a 27-year-old from Minneapolis, came to the Capitol with her wife, Hilary Mathieu, to show her support for same-sex marriage. She held a sign: “Gay people getting married? Next they’ll be allowed to vote and pay taxes.”

Vosburgh and Mathieu have been together since high school and had a commitment ceremony last summer. They just bought a house together and are looking forward to going to the courthouse as soon as they can to legalize their marriage and have a celebration with family and friends in their new backyard.

“It’s unbelievable,” Vosburgh said.

Sen. Branden Petersen, the sole Republican lawmaker who publicly supported the bill before voting, thanked his wife, Jessica, and had some words of advice to his two children, who are just 1 and 2 years old.

“In all things related to your faith, your family, your freedom — be bold, be courageous. You’ll never forget a day in your life,” Petersen said.